British performance-car manufacturer McMurtry Automotive is marking its tenth anniversary as it begins customer production of the Spéirling PURE, its electric fan-assisted track car. The company has released a retrospective film documenting a decade that saw a six-engineer operation in Gloucestershire grow into a manufacturer employing nearly 100 people.
Now based at a new production facility in England’s Cotswolds, McMurtry is preparing to supply the Spéirling PURE to customers worldwide. The milestone follows a series of achievements, including records at Goodwood and the Top Gear Test Track, along with a demonstration of a car driving upside down.
From Lightweight Prototype to Record-Breaking Fan Car
McMurtry was conceived in 2015 when engineering pioneer Sir David McMurtry recruited Thomas Yates from Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. Joined by Kevin Ukoko-Rongione, now Technical Director, the team began developing its first car in 2016.
The resulting D01 prototype weighed just 660kg and featured 400hp, all-wheel drive, a 40kWh battery and bespoke carbon-fiber construction. Although technically promising, the project was not commercially viable, prompting a shift toward a more extreme performance car.
Sir David proposed using fans to generate downforce independently of vehicle speed, telling Yates: “Ah, just suck it to the ground!” Inspired by earlier fan cars such as the 1970 Chaparral 2J and 1978 Brabham BT46B, McMurtry developed the Spéirling prototype between 2018 and 2021, achieving up to 2,000kg of downforce from a standstill.
Ten-Year Timeline (2016–2026)
| Year | Key Milestones |
| 2016 | · McMurtry Automotive is founded.
· Development of the first McMurtry prototype vehicle begins. |
| 2018 | · First McMurtry prototype vehicle, the D01, is completed.
· Fan downforce research and development begins. |
| 2021 | · Spéirling prototype is unveiled to the world. |
| 2022 | · Spéirling prototype sets the unbeaten Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb record. |
| 2023–2024 | · Expanded prototype development and worldwide customer test-drive programme.
· Records set at Hockenheim, Castle Combe and Laguna Seca. |
| 2025 | · McMurtry Technology arm is launched.
· Spéirling PURE prototype sets the unbeaten Top Gear lap record. · Spéirling PURE prototype becomes the first car ever to drive upside down. |
| 2026 | · First McMurtry Owners Club event.
· New McMurtry factory opens in the Cotswolds, England. · Spéirling PURE production car is unveiled. · Spéirling PURE enters production. |
Goodwood and Top Gear Records
The Spéirling gained international recognition in 2022 by setting a new Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb record. In 2025, the subsequent Spéirling PURE prototype established a Top Gear Test Track lap record with The Stig driving, surpassing the previous benchmark held by a 2004 Renault Formula 1 car.
That same year, McMurtry demonstrated the Spéirling driving upside down with Yates at the wheel, an achievement the company described as a world first. The demonstration highlighted the effectiveness of its fan-assisted downforce system even without conventional aerodynamic airflow.
Spéirling PURE Production and Future Plans
Following thousands of kilometers of testing, McMurtry is producing the Spéirling PURE for customers internationally. The company has also established McMurtry Technology to supply proprietary battery systems and Downforce on Demand technology to automotive and motorsport manufacturers.
The company’s origins reflect Sir David McMurtry’s background in precision engineering. While working on Concorde’s Olympus engines at Rolls-Royce, he invented the touch-trigger probe before co-founding Renishaw plc with John Deer.
Co-founder and Managing Director Thomas Yates reflected on the company’s progress: “Just ten years ago, there was only a handful of us, with a blank sheet of paper and the ambition to build a car company.”
Why It Matters
McMurtry’s transition from experimental prototypes to customer production marks a significant step for fan-assisted automotive aerodynamics. Its record-breaking Spéirling has demonstrated the performance potential of generating substantial downforce independently of speed, while McMurtry Technology could extend the company’s engineering developments beyond its own vehicles.
Facts
| Field | Source-supported information |
| Company | McMurtry Automotive |
| Founded / initial proposal | 2015; initial six-engineer development team in 2016 |
| Location | Cotswolds, England (new production facility) |
| Current model | Spéirling PURE; customer production stated |
| Original D01 prototype | 660 kg; 400 hp; 40 kWh battery; all-wheel drive; carbon-fibre chassis and bodywork |
| Spéirling prototype downforce | Up to 2,000 kg from a standstill |
| Goodwood milestone | Festival of Speed hillclimb record, 2022 |
| Top Gear milestone | Test Track lap record, 2025; driven by The Stig |
| Inverted driving demonstration | 2025; Thomas Yates driving |
| Workforce | Nearly 100 people (company statement) |
| Technology division | McMurtry Technology; battery and Downforce on Demand technologies |
| Price / delivery schedule | Not stated in supplied source |
Above contents © 2026 McMurtry Automotive Ltd, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee 🏁
